Our scripture reading for this evening, to which I invite you to turn with me at this time, is found in the epistle of the Apostle Paul to the church at Colossa, Colossians chapter 3. In the New Testament, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians chapter 3. If you were with us last Lord's Day evening, you may recall that we began a series of messages entitled Practical Exhortations for God's People. We reviewed the fact that in the earlier chapters of Colossians, Paul had been addressing various heresies and temptations that had infected and afflicted the church at Colossa, the worship of angels, unbiblical asceticism, earthly wisdom, and the like. And then in the first few verses of Colossians 3, he exhorts those who are in Christ to be heavenly minded. And we will pick up his thought following those first four verses in verse 5, as verses 5 through 11 will constitute our text for today. We will begin reading in verse 1 and read through verse 17. Colossians 3, beginning in verse 1, hear then the word of the Lord. Since then you have been raised with Christ, Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature, sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways in the life you once lived, but now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these, anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and is in all. Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other, and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace, and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Thus far, the reading of God's Holy Word. And as always, brothers and sisters, I ask and urge you to keep your Bibles open and handy as we look to God's Word together at the close of this Lord's Day. Dear congregation of Jesus Christ, according to what I have read, about a century ago, the London Times asked British author G.K. Chesterton, along with several other authors, to submit essays on the subject, what's wrong with the world? What's wrong with the world? In response to this, Chesterton simply replied, dear sirs, I am. Think about that. G.K. Chesterton's exceedingly succinct response It's also well summarized by the words of Russian author Alexander Solzhenitsyn, who once said, And that's true, isn't it? In fact, in the words of the prophet Jeremiah, as recorded for us in Jeremiah 17, verse 9, the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? And in Genesis 6, verse 5, we read, The Lord saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. Think of it. Ah, but notice, as the Holy Spirit-inspired Apostle Paul declares in 2 Corinthians 5, verse 17, If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone. The new has come. And as we saw in our study of God's Word last Lord's Day evening, if any of us is in Christ, by God's grace, through faith, then part of our calling as Christians is to separate ourselves from the things of this world, to separate ourselves from the things of this earth, and to develop a mindset that is not earthly, but heavenly. We are to set our hearts and minds, the Bible says, on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Brothers and sisters, the Apostle Paul knew, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that that would not be easy. Very practically and personally speaking, it would not be easy to apply that biblical exhortation to be heavenly minded, especially considering the sin and the degradation, the decay and the corruption of the world in which we are living. For as Jesus said to His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, shortly before He went to the cross to pay the penalty for the sins of His people, Jesus said to them, watch and pray, so that you will not fall into temptation. The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Consequently, in order to aid us in being able to establish and maintain a heavenly mindedness, as the Apostle Paul goes on here in Colossians chapter 3, and especially as we look to the words of our text in verses 5 through 11, We find that the Apostle Paul gives us a two-step strategy in crucifying the flesh. A very practical exhortation for God's people. Now then, as we begin to work our way through the words of our text, we find that step number one toward crucifying the flesh is that we must rip up its basic roots. Step number one toward crucifying the flesh is that we must rip up its basic root. For example, look at verse 5 of Colossians 3 with me, if you would please. Here Paul says, put to death, put to death. It's a single word in the original language. The Greek word is nekro, a Greek root from which we get many English words dealing with death and dying and things of that sort. It's an imperative in the original. I believe the old King James Version translates it as mortify, which means put to death. Now friends, if you'll turn back a few pages with me to Galatians chapter 2 verse 20, we find the Apostle Paul's personal testimony. Galatians 2.20, a testimony that should apply to each and every one of us here tonight who is in Christ. Paul says in Galatians 2.20, I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me." Now think about that. Paul says, I have been crucified with Christ. Why then does he say in Colossians 3, verse 5, put to death therefore? Well, the reason is because even though if we are in Christ, our old selves have been crucified with Christ, that old self keeps trying to rise again. That old man keeps trying to rise again. And so the apostle Paul gives us here back in the words of our text. Look with me again at Colossians three, verse five, put to death. Therefore, don't play with it. Don't condone it. Don't coddle it. Don't rationalize it. Don't excuse it. He says, put it to death. Put to death, therefore, because we are supposed to be heavenly minded, setting our hearts and minds on things above, put to death, therefore, whatever belongs. Whatever belongs to your earthly nature, the Greek literally says, put to death your members which are on the earth. That is, that which is close with and clings to our earthly mortal bodies. And then Paul goes on to give several examples of the kinds of things which belong to our old sinful mortal bodies that we are supposed to keep on putting to death or crucifying. He says, put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature, sexual immorality. In the Greek, pornea. That's where we get our English word pornography from. And porneia can refer to all kinds of sexual immorality generally or it can refer to specific kinds of sexual immorality like adultery. The term is translated adultery elsewhere in the Scriptures. Put to death therefore whatever belongs to your earthly nature, porneia, sexual immorality, Impurity. Stay with me. Ah, catharsis, where we get our English word catharsis from, which means to cleanse or be pure. Ah, catharsis is the negation. So it means anything that is impure or unclean or unholy. Impurity, lust, the NIV says pathos, the Greek says any inordinate or ungodly passion for anyone or anything you see. Lust. Evil desires and greed. Some of the translations say covetousness, which is idolatry. Which is idolatry. Matthew Henry says that greed is idolatry because we're giving to the world, or we're giving to wealth, that love which is due to God alone. And that's true. In fact, turn to Matthew chapter 6 with me, if you would, just for a moment. The first Gospel account, Matthew chapter 6. In Matthew 6, verse 24, our Lord Jesus is giving the Sermon on the Mount, as it is called. And in Matthew 6, verse 24, Jesus says, no one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Similarly, turn to 1 Timothy chapter 6 with me, if you would. It's after Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians. 1 Timothy chapter 6, verses 6 through 10. The Apostle Paul says essentially the very same thing. 1 Timothy 6, verses 6 and following. Paul says, but godliness with contentment is great gain. And we are living in a world, my friends, that is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to get you and me to be non-content. Gambling now on the internet, gambling all over the country. Multimedia presentations trying to seduce us into covening and getting us to try to purchase things that not only we need, but that we just want. Fostering our greed. But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap, and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money, it's not money itself, it's not being rich in and of itself. It says, the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people eager for money have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. Now let's bring that biblical information to bear back on the words of our text in Colossians 3. Look at verse 6 with me now, verse 6. Because of these, remember what we just considered. Because of the unrepentant practice and pursuit of sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry, because of these, the wrath of God is coming. And you may have a Bible which says, is coming upon those who are disobedient. Some of the old ancient manuscripts say that. Some of the better ones, in my opinion, do not say that. So the NIV just reads, because of these, the wrath of God is coming. And this is very interesting. Theologians point out that this verb, is coming, is what they call a prophetic present. It means it can be translated in the present tense or the future tense. But because the coming of the wrath of God is so sure and certain upon all sin and wickedness and rebellion and unrepentant disobedience to His law, it's as if it were already here, you see, a prophetic present. And so the NIV says, because of these, the wrath of God is coming. Verse seven. Look with me. You used to walk past tense. You used to walk in these ways in the life you once lived past tense. Question. People who know you. Do they know an old you and a new you? Boys and girls, young people, can some of your friends say of you concerning various sins and vices? Drinking, immorality, gambling. You used to walk in those ways. But you don't anymore. Or can you say to your friends, I used to do those things. But I don't and I won't. Anymore. Think about that. Verse seven. You used to walk in these ways in the life you once lived. You know, the supposedly true story is told that that a few years after his very dramatic conversion. The great church father, Augustine, was. Was walking down the street one day when he he almost physically bumped into a woman who used to be his partner in sin. In fact, she was the woman who seduced him into the bondage of sexual immorality. And they were partners in sin until by the sovereign grace and electing love of God, the Holy Spirit caused Augustine to be born again. So he was about to pass her by, virtually with just a formal nod in her direction, when she literally grabbed him by the arm And she cried out, Augustine, don't you know me anymore? It is I. And Augustine looked right at her. And he realized that because of the Holy Spirit of God living and dwelling and reigning within him, she no longer held him in her seductive snare. And responded simply by saying, yes. But it is not I. Yes, But it is not I. Think about that. You used to walk in these ways in the life you once lived. But now we must put to death whatever belongs to our earthly nature, sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. It's in the future, but it's as good as already here. So, my dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, If you and I desire to be found faithful in hearing and heeding this practical exhortation for God's people to be crucifying the flesh, we must first of all begin by ripping up its basic root. By ripping up its basic root. Ah, but notice, a second and final step towards successfully crucifying the flesh is that we must not simply rip up its basic root, but we must also forsake its bitter fruit. We must also forsake its bitter fruit. Let's look at verse 7 once again and we're going to go on into verse 8 of our text. Look with me please. You used to walk in these ways in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves, boys and girls, young people, the imagery is of taking off an old coat or dirty clothing and casting it aside. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these and notice what the apostle Paul is going to go on to enumerate. Is a listing of the result or the acting out or the bitter fruit which comes from the from the root of which he has he has just spoken. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these." Anger. Jesus says in Matthew 5, verse 21 and 22, that sinful anger, not righteous anger, sinful anger is the equivalent of murder of the heart. Think of that. Anger. Rage. Rage is anger which has boiled over into angry and emotional outbursts. Malice. Intentionally intending harm for another. By what you are about to say or do. Malice. Slander. Trying to destroy another person's reputation, gossiping about someone in school, spreading lies about someone that you know are not true. Bearing false witness. In fact, take your psalters, don't close your Bibles by any means, but take your psalters just for a moment and turn in the back with me to page 55, where we find Lord's Day 43, Heidelberg Catechism 112, page 55, where we find the catechism's commentary on God's will and the ninth commandment of His law, bearing false witness. I'd like you to read the answer with me as I read the question. The question asks, what is God's will for us in the ninth commandment? And let's read that answer together. God's will is that I never give false testimony against anyone, twist no one's words, not gossip or slander, nor join in condemning anyone without a hearing or without a just cause. Rather, in court and everywhere else, I should avoid lying and deceit of every kind. These are devices the devil himself uses. And they would call down on me God's intense anger. I should love the truth, speak it candidly, and openly acknowledge it. And I should do what I can to guard and advance my neighbor's good name. Thank you. I love that. I should do what I can. to guard in advance my neighbor's good name. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these, anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips, cursing, swearing, dirty jokes, double-meaning comments, obscene language." Dirty language from your lips. Verse 9, look with me please. Do not lie to each other. Boys and girls, young people, why is lying such a heinous sin in God's eyes? Part of the reason is because Jesus says in John 8 verse 44, when we lie, we are playing into the hands of Satan himself, whom Jesus calls the father of lies. And not only so, Our text goes on to tell us, do not lie to each other, since or because you have taken off your old self. You have taken off your old anthropos, the old man. Defined by the great reformer John Calvin as, whatever we bring from our mother's womb and whatever we are by nature. It's all that we are in Adam. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices, and have put on the new self, now get this, stay with me, the new self, which is being renewed, ongoing process. When we are justified, my dear friends in the Lord, God declares us not guilty in His heavenly court, solely by grace, solely through faith, only in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It's a one-time action. But consecration is sort of growth in holiness. That takes a lifetime. In fact, Heidelberg Catechism question and answer 114 correctly states, in this life, even the holiest have only a small beginning of disobedience. And so when we sin, we are not to be discouraged. We are not to say, oh, my goodness, I must not be a Christian. We need to confess our sins, knowing he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness and asking the Holy Spirit to give us victory over that sin, to set us free from that addiction, to help us to crucify our old sinful nature in that regard, you see. But it's a process. You have put on the new self, which is being renewed. Isn't that a glorious thing? You know, I was down in North Carolina several months ago on a church visit for the classes. And I was flying through Charlotte. And some of you know my son, Matt, is a pastor there in an associate reform Presbyterian church. And the layover was long enough that Matt swung into the airport and he took me out for lunch. And he took me to the Billy Graham Museum. It's right there in the town there. And we were walking back to the car to get back to the airport, and Matt pointed down a hill, and he said, Dad, you know what? He said, Ruth Graham is buried down there on the grounds here of the museum thing. And he said, do you know what? She was buried, by the way, in a coffin built by a prisoner. Very simple, wooden box. And Matt said, do you know what it says on her tombstone? And I said, I have no idea. And he says, it says, thank you for your patience. Construction now complete. Isn't that cool? Isn't it cool? Thank you for your patience. Construction now complete. I read a booklet, and I've given it to some of you, called Behind a Frowning Providence. It says at the end, after trying to wrestle with the whys of God and the sufferings of this life, it says at the end of the booklet, workshop down here, showroom upstairs. workshop down here, showroom upstairs. Glory be to God. You've put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its creator. Now, what does that mean? Well, Paul gives us an insight into part of that answer in Ephesians 4, 24, when he says we are created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness, in true righteousness and holiness. created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness, renewed in the knowledge of the image of its creator. And brothers and sisters, to the extent that by the grace and mercy of God, you and I increasingly come to understand and own and implement these things. We will begin not only to acknowledge mentally, but act personally according to the truth of what it says in verse 11. Here, that is, in Christ, there is no Greek or Jew. That is, there ought to be ultimately no cultural difference which separates those who are in Christ. There is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised. Ultimately, there ought to be no religious difference which separates those who are, listen, in Christ. There is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian or Scythian. There ought to be no cultural difference or social difference Ultimately that separates those who are in Christ. There is no Greek or Jew circumcised or uncircumcised Barbarian Scythian slave or free there ought to be no economic difference ultimately that separates those who are in Christ I Can remember several years ago. We were at the men's Bible study breakfast. Don't lose your place and at Miranda's and Wednesday morning and there was a a shoeshine guy and They used to, and some of you know who he is, I'll just say his first name. His name was Lester. And Lester used to take a bus from the Iron Brown section of Newark, and he would get up to Miranda's Restaurant for these 6.45 a.m. men's breakfast. And we're sitting there in Miranda's Restaurant one morning, and this struck me. I'm looking around at these 15 or 20 guys, and I'm only going to use first names. Lester is sitting next to Dr. Tony. And brothers and sisters, it struck me. Think of this. Only in the body of our Lord Jesus Christ Do you have an orthopedic surgeon from Franklin Lake sitting next to a shoeshine boy from the ironbound section of Newark, New Jersey? Glory be to God How can this be? Well, the reason is because here in Christ There is no Greek or Jew circumcised or uncircumcised barbarity in city and slave or free but Christ is all and is in all In other words, as Christians, there is nothing in all the world which might seek to divide us, which is greater than the Christ who unites us. And so in Ephesians 2, if you'll go back a few pages to the left with me, please, in Ephesians chapter 2, verses 14 through 18, the apostle Paul declares concerning Christ, Ephesians 2, 14, for he himself is our peace. Who has made the two one. and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in His flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace. And in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross by which He put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. All glory be to God. All glory be to God. You know, friends, recently I read that a man named Thomas Goodwin once said, There are but two men that are standing before God, Adam and Jesus Christ. And these two men have all other men hanging at their waists." Think about that. Question. When we stand before the judgment seat of God, and we see, as it were, those two men standing there, the old man, Adam, and the new man, Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Upon whose waist will you be hanging? Upon whose waist will you be hanging? You know, in Romans chapter 5, The Apostle Paul puts it this way, if you would turn there with me as we close, Romans 5, 18-21. Romans 5, beginning in verse 18, the Apostle Paul declares, Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just as through the disobedience of the one man, the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man, the many will be made righteous. The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more. So that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Consequently, my dear, dear friends in the Lord. If by God's grace alone. Through faith alone. You, too, are in Christ. Then by his strength and power. Let us go forth from this hour. Crucifying the flesh. thereby proving ourselves faithful in both hearing and heeding this practical exhortation for God's people. Amen. Let's bow our heads and our hearts together in prayer. Do you not know? Can the apostle Paul? that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God. Do not be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexual offenders, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But. You were washed. You were sanctified. You were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And by the spirit of our God. Even as we thank and praise you, Heavenly Father. For such a great and gracious salvation. We also pray that as the spiritual warfare in which we are engaged continues to rage all around us and within. You would enable and empower us by your Holy Spirit. To rip up the basic root. And forsake the bitter fruit. Of our old sinful selves. Give to each and every one of us and ours, we pray the victory each and every day. in crucifying the flesh. In Jesus' name, Amen.